Black Ravens
by Spade111
Summary: Raven has always felt like she doesn't belong with the Titans, but what happens when a figure from her past shows up and forces her to relive all her nightmares? PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of the characters.

Setting: Takes place a couple of years in the future when the Teen Titans are all about 19 years-old.

Raven sat meditating in her room, tryingto block out the loud belching contest Beastboy and Cyborg were having. After all these years they were still the same: loud and as annoying as ever. Sighing Raven tucked her waist-length blue hair behind her ear and walked out the door into the living room.

"Do you mind?" She asked her hood now pulled up and shadowing her features. "I'm trying to meditate."

"Awww, c'mon Raven! This is fun!" Beastboy, who had now grown into a tall sleek guy, said.

"Yeah it's fun!" Cyborg chimed in. "Wanna join?"

"No." Raven said in her usual monotone voice. "It's disgusting."

"We have arrived home blorghs and griffvoles!" Starfire announced as she and Robin walked through the front door carrying a ton of shopping bags. Now she had cut her red hair shorter and wore a pink outfit with pink boots. "We have gone shopping for Christmas!"

Beside her Robin put down the ton of bags he had been carrying and said thankfully, "I'm so glad glad that is done and over with! I thought we'd never finish." Now Robin had a blue and black outfit on and his shoulder length hair really did make Starfire and him look like a good couple.

"I'm going out," Raven said, but everyone was to busy talking and belching to pay any attention to her. Without another word she walked out into the snow surrounding Titans Tower and began to walk in no particular direction, so long as she was distancing herself from her annoying roommates.

_I doubt they even care that I left. None of them even understand me, let alone like me. _After several years Raven could still feel the invisible barrier that blocked her off from the rest of the teen titans. She always felt alone.

"_That's right." _A voice whispered into her ear and automatically Raven knew that it was Rage, her darker emotion. _"They never cared about you. They don't even want you as part of the Teen Titans let alone to live with them. _"No! They do care! I have to stop thinking like this!" _Do they? If they do, they sure have an awkward way of showing it._ "Stop! Leave me alone!" Raven practically screamed the words and kneeled in the snow clasping her head in her hands.

Finally the voice disappeared and Raven just sat huddled in the snow, trying to repress all of her surging emotions. "Azarath Metrione Synthos." Raven repeated to herself bringing her back to her calm state.

With a sigh she stood up and brushed the snow from her dark blue cloak. For a while she continued to walk with no purpose in mind, until she suddenly came across a splattering of blood on the snow in the woods. "What is this?" Raven bent down to take a closer look and instantly the acrid smell of blood reached her nostrils. The blood continued to lead a path somewhere deeper into the forest. "Maybe it was an animal." Raven was about to head home when she came to the conclusion she must check to see if it might be a human in need of medical attention.

With that, she strode deeper and deeper into the forest until the blood broke off at a stream. From where she stood however she could still see blood on the opposite bank and crossed so she could follow the tracks. As the sun was setting she came across a cabin with a curl of smoke rising from the inside.

In an instant she had swung the door open and saw a figure curled up by a makeshift fireplace. She was just about to wake the stranger up, when he suddenly turned. Raven gasped as she saw a boy about her own age with black hair, green eyes, and a pale complexion and a cape of white wrapped around his shoulders. With a look of horror Raven backed away and ran back to Titans Tower, never bothering to look back at the bleeding figure.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of the characters.

Raven sat alone in her room, trying to calm her racing heart and the impending sense of doom that threatened to drown her. It had been so many years since she had seen him. "Why is he here?" Raven muttered to herself, her arms wrapped around her long legs. "As long as I stay inside Titans Tower he won't be able to find me. Will he?"

"Hey Raven are you okay in there?" Cyborg shouted from outside her door, knowing that if he knocked the door would most likely be torn off its hinges. "You've been locked up in there for a couple of days now... Don't you think it's about time you come out of there?

"No." Raven replied, her voice icy. In an effort to rid herself of his annoyance she also added, "I'm just taking a meditation journey. And it requires _concentration_, so if you don't mind..."

"Oh! Sorry Raven! I didn't mean to intrude or whatever. Later!" Raven could hear Cyborg's footsteps as he walked away from the door.

_Annoying aren't they?_ Rage whispered in her ear. _It would be so easy to get rid of them you know..._ "Stop it!" _Stop what? I'm only telling you what's true. They suppress you. They make you weak. _"No!"_ You know they do. You're so much more powerful than them and yet you choose to let most of your power lie dormant just for the sake of being equals._ "I'm not listening!" _Oh but you are. Deep down you know what I say is true. I wonder what those on Azarath would say._ "Stop! I left Azarath for my own reasons!" _Oh really?_ "Yes." Raven replied through gritted teeth. _You could believe that for now, my dear, but once the truth comes about they'll turn from you. All of them will._ "Go away!" Raven practically shouted those last words and finally Rage's voice disappeared.

"Raven?" Starfire's timid voice asked from my door. "Is something wrong? Would you like to have… girl talk?"

"No." Raven replied pulling up her hood and walking to the door. "Hi Star." She said simply as the door opened and Starfire's worried green eyes looked at me.

"I thought I heard you shout something..." She said unsure of herself.

"I was just reading, Star." Raven replied her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Oh… Okay." Suddenly she brightened up and said, "Would you like to come decorate the tree with us? We are going to put golden balls of gold and silv-"

"Sure." Raven replied, not wanting her to go through the whole description of what the tree would be decorated with.

"Wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed and dragged her down the stairs.

Raven sat on the couch, using her powers to pick up the decorations and hang them on the tree, while Beastboy changed into various animals so he could reach all the parts of the tree. Starfire flew about the living room putting up garlands and Cyborg and Robin decorated the bottom of the tree. In about an hour the tree was finished and evreyone gathered around to admire it.

"Isn't it a little on the big side?" Raven asked as she craned her neck upward to get a view of the top of the tree.

"A little bit." Beastboy said grudgingly. "But at least we'll be breathing fresh air!" He laughed at his own corny joke, while everyone stared at him like he was a circus clown.

"I think it is wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed happily. "It's most..." She searched for the right word. "...It is most Christmassy." At that both Cyborg and Beastboy burst out laughing. Robin just shrugged and sat on the couch.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, giving everyone except Raven a heart attack. "I'll get it." Robin said and walked over to the door. He opened the door and they could hear Robin's voice drift from down the hallway. "Oh really?" A pause. "I didn't know. Come on in then."

Robin walked into the room and, to Raven's horror, the familiar green eyes of the wounded boy stared right at her as he walked in and smiled.

"This can't be happening." Raven muttered, managing to keep her composure.

"Hello Raven." He said. Instantly Raven's heart lurched into her throat and the sense of impending doom reached its climax.

"No." Raven muttered incredulously. "How did you find me?"

"My dear Raven, there is no way I wouldn't be able to find you. You reek of death… and you can not hide your power from me." He responded coolly. He turned to the other confused Titans and said politely, "I am Dane, a close acquaintance of Raven's. I've come to escort her home, whether she likes it or not."


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Teen Titans.

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"What do you mean if she likes it or not?" Robin asked, his body slightly tensing in preparation for a fight.

Dane merely smiled and laughed. Raven clenched her fists and said, "What do you want Dane?"

"You know what I want, I just told you." Raven's face remained passive, but inside she was beginning to get angry. "I'm just teasing. …But I do believe you know why I've come here. It's time Raven."

"No." Raven said her voice tinged with malice. "I'll never go back." _That's right, Raven. _Rage cooed into her ear._ He's going to take you back there. Do you really want that? Get angry! Kill him! You must or else he'll force you back! Do you want that?_ "No." Raven said, backing away from Dane and everyone else in the room.

"Raven what is wrong?" Starfire asked. She approached Raven.

"No! Stay away!" Raven said menacingly, a wall of shadows blocking off Starfire's approach.

Dane's face turned from one of smugness into one of horror. "No! Raven! Keep yourself under control! It can't happen now!" Raven couldn't hear him and merely continued to back away.

"What are you talking about?" Cyborg asked turning from Raven to Dane, trying to understand what was going on.

Raven screamed and her eyes began to rapidly change colors. She ran out of Titans Tower and into the snow, trying to keep herself under control. _It's no use! Why can't I regain control? _Raven screamed as her emotions let loose and the eerie blue light began to spill forth from her body.

The rest of the Titans and Dane had followed her outside and kept a safe distance away. "What do we do?" BeastBoy asked.

"Nothing." Dane said and began to slowly approach Raven. "Right now she is in a critical state. If you were to approach her, you would most likely die."

"Then why aren't you going to die?" Cyborg asked incredulously.

"On our home planet we were taught how to deal with situations like these and were instructed on how they should be handled." Dane replied, not taking his gaze off of Raven. The glow around her body began to increase and her features were obscured by it.

Dane raised his hands in the air and instantly a black ball of shadows appeared in his hand. He let it grow until it was twice the size of his head and then let it loose. It surrounded Raven like a net and slowly began to close in on her, also repressing the eerie blue light. Dane quickly closed in and gave a knockout blow right behind her neck. She collapsed into the snow and finally the blue light disappeared. Dane stooped down and picked her up.

Turning to the other Titans, he said, "I suggest that you let me take her back to Azarath. If I don't take her back, she'll most likely die."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Robin asked suspiciously. "It didn't look like Raven was very fond of you."

"She's not." Dane replied simply. "I've come to take her home for this reason," he said gesturing to Raven's prone form. "I admit she is not happy to know that she must return home. If you would like you may come with us."

"Of course we will go." Starfire said. "We would never leave our friend behind."

"Whatever you say…" Dane said. "I suggest we get ready to leave; she won't remain this way for long." He watched as everyone nodded and they all trudged back to Titans Tower.

"Raven… Why did you leave? Even after what happened, I still viewed you the same… I'm so sorry I have to do this to you." Dane whispered softly into Raven's hair as he carried her back to Titans Tower. "I'm so sorry…"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of the characters except for Dane.

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"Hate is the only way to be truly powerful." A hulk of a man said to a young Raven.

Time lurched forward and Raven was screaming. "Father! No"

Once more time lurched forward and a panel of judges loomed over a manacled Raven. "And for your crimes, the punishment is..."

Raven woke up, put a hand to her forehead, and groaned. "Why do I still think about him? Why can't I forget him" Raven whispered to herself. Because you don't want to forget, you want to be the way you once was. Rage cooed into Raven's groggy head. "No leave me alone" Raven muttered and clapped her mind shut to the voice.

Instead of listening to Rage, Raven took a look at the unfamiliar surroundings and felt her chest constrict. This ship belonged to Dane. "I can't be here."

"But you are." Dane said, stepping out of the shadows and sitting on a stool next to the bed. "You were merely prolonging the inevitable."

"Go away! You don't know anything about me, Dane." Raven said glaring daggers at him.

"Don't I" Dane asked ignoring her glare. "I believe I was one of the people who knew you best. You're still the same. Always pushing everyone away and saying you're alone."

"You're point" Raven asked dejectedly.

"My point is that I was there. That I understand what happened and"

"Stop. Don't you dare talk to me about that." Raven interrupted, her eyes flashing dangerously, daring him to challenge her. "You may believe that you understand; but you don't. Nor will you ever understand. So just leave it at that."

"Fine, I won't talk about it just for the sake that you don't lose control again; but you should have returned back to Azarath." Dane said looking at Raven's pale but beautiful face.

"So then it's definite. You are taking me back to Azarath." Raven said, more to herself than to Dane.

"Of course" Dane replied. "If I hadn't shown up you would have died and taken a hell of a lot of people with you. Is that what you wanted"

"In a way, yes." Raven replied staring at the sheets, no sign of emotion leaking through her voice. "I'd rather die in some lonely and isolated place than return to Azarath. It wouldn't make a difference anyways. Once they find out what I have done they would never want to be friends with me. So it doesn't really matter if I live or die because no matter what I'd have done, I would have been alone in the end."

For a second Dane stared at her incredulously, before getting up and grasping her face with his hand, forcing her to look at him. "You may believe that you're alone Raven, and that no one will ever accept you, but I already have and always will. I don't care how horrible you were in the past because none of it was your fault." Raven merely looked back at him, her features betraying nothing.

"Finally he released her face and in a choked voice asked"Why? Why did you leave"

Raven remained quiet for a minute before she replied with"Now is not the time for me to answer that Dane. Besides, now that I'm back, you'll find out soon enough."

He merely nodded. Now wasn't the time for him to push her anyway. "When are you going to tell your friends what happened?"

"I'll tell them before we land." Raven said quietly. "Now leave. I need to meditate."

Dane gave one last look at Raven before he walked out of the room with a smile on his face. _She's not past saving. Not yet anyway._

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_Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update! I hope you enjoy! Thank you for al the reviews! Please continue toreview!_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Dane. Please enjoy!

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"I'm worried about our friend." An anxious Starfire said to Robin who was gazing out the window at the stars. "Do you think Raven is all right?"

"I'm fine." Raven said materializing form the shadows. Both Starfire and Robin jumped with fright and stared at her.

After quickly regaining his composure, Robin smiled and said, "Hey there Raven. It's good to see you."

Raven merely nodded her head and said, "I need to talk to all of you. Meet me in the room across the hall." Raven then disappeared back into the shadows, leaving behind a confused Starfire and Robin.

Raven then materialized next to Beast Boy and Cyborg, who had somehow managed to bring the whole gaming system onboard Dane's ship. Both were too wrapped up in the game to even notice that Raven was right next to them.

"Boo-Yah!" Cyborg shouted as he bumped BB's car off the screen and the words WINNER flashed across the screen.

"Yo." Raven said in her usual monotone. Both Cyborg and BB turned to look at her. "I need to talk to you. Meet me in the room across the hall."

"Jeez. What's with her?" BB said as Raven disappeared back into the shadows.

"I don't know, but whatever she needs to say must be important." Cyborg stood up and shut the game off. "Come on let's go."

"Are you ready Raven?" Dane asked from her doorway, his features showing no trace of emotion.

"I'm fine." Raven replied. Only I'd be better if I didn't have to do this."

A smile curved Dane's lips. "It's not like you had a choice. They would eventually have known." Raven glared daggers at him. _She is still mad that I brought them with us. Oh well I couldn't tell them no. _

Suddenly the door opened and Robyn and Starfire walked in followed by Cyborg and BB. They all took a seat around the long oval conference table.

There was a long silence before Robyn asked, "So what is it you would like to talk about?"

Dane looked over to raven who had pulled her hood up, obscuring her features beneath it. "To tell you why we are returning to my home planet," Raven responded simply. They all looked at her expectantly and she struggled not to take her raven form and disappear. "At a certain age, all people from Azarath, tend to go through what we call the Kamuisend. Basically all the power in our body is released. Therefore, it can be a very dangerous process, depending on the amount of power one contains. For some their release of power is as small as a spark, but for others it can cause cataclysmic explosions and kill the person and people around that person." Raven took a breath and carried on, thankful for the hood she was wearing. "Unfortunately, the only way for someone to survive who has a lot of power is if they are binded. Binding is a kind of ceremony which will keep my power from erupting.

"In my case, however my powers had almost been released. If any of you had gotten too close to me the other night, you would have died." Everyone remained silent the last word hanging heavy in the silence.

"But thankfully I came right on time." Dane said with a smile.

"Why could you approach her then?" Cyborg asked curiously.

"Yes why were you able to get so close without getting hurt?" Starfire chimed in.

"Hmmm… Well it's kind of complicated. However, when we get to Azarath I'm sure one of the people would love to explain how it works to you. Unfortunately I don't know why only how."

Raven cleared her throat and everyone refocused their attention back onto her. "Dane has managed to keep my powers under control, however, after a short time they will be released once more; thus the rush to Azarath."

"Hmm that explains a lot." Robin said. "Maybe I'll do some research…"

"That's all I have to say." Raven said before slipping into the shadows and going into her room. She pulled down her hood and heaved a heavy sigh; sitting down on the bed and messaging her head with her hands.

"Why didn't you tell them!" Dane asked angrily appearing out of the shadows. When Raven didn't respond he continued. "What do you think? That you can hide it from them? Are you insane? They'll find out eventually, and if you don't tell them it will probably be twice as worse when they find out for themselves!"

"Shutup." Raven hissed from the bed. "Just leave! I don't need lecturing! I know what I'm doing…"

"I'm sure you do." Dane replied sarcastically before disappearing into the shadows once more.

_You should get angry, my dear Raven. _Rage cooed into her ear. _You shouldn't let them know your secret. In fact, maybe it would be best if you were to kill them. _"No shut up!" Raven pushed Rage away and lay down on her bed. "I can't let Rage get the best of me." Those were her last words before she fell asleep and would soon find herself on her home planet, Azarath.

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**_Author's Note_**: Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update! Been kind of busy and all. I hope you enjoy. Read and Review, it will make me write faster!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Dane.

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Robin sat quietly, his face pensive as he looked at the stars passing by. "Why are we going into space?" He muttered to himself, a slight note of irritation in his voice, as he folded his hands and stared harder out the window of the ship, as if that would provide some sort of insight. For the few days they had been on the ship, he had searched it for some type of clue as to Dane's true intentions. Yet the ship was empty, the technology was alien, and Raven's brief "meeting" has not given him any concrete answers. "Just what is it they're hiding?"

Although he had only been speaking to himself, a voice replied. "Do you really want to know?"

Dane. Robin didn't even flinch; he merely shrugged and continued to look out the window, watching Dane in the reflection of the glass. "I just would like to know what it is we are really getting into here. That's all."

Dane laughed and took a seat next to Robin. "Worried?"

"Yes. We're travelling to some distant planet, without any idea of who will be there or what exactly is going on. Although Raven seems to trust you, I don't know anything about you. I know Raven is hesitant to talk, but if we don't know what is going on, how are we supposed to help her?" The words fell from Robin's lips in an angry rush.

"We're not." Dane replied simply, stretching out his long legs and resting them on top of the windowsill.

Robin turned to him, eyes narrowed. "We're not what?"

"We aren't travelling to some distant planet. We are travelling to another dimension. We have to go through a space vortex in order to get there-that is what we are currently heading towards. Once we go through the vortex, we will all be sucked into another dimension where my home planet is."

"That doesn't answer my question." Robin said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Dane's seemingly innocent expression.

"Of course it does. You asked why we were going into space and I answered. Am I incorrect?"

Robin didn't move. Dane was teasing him, trying to provoke him into getting angry that way he would forget his true intentions altogether. "I want to know what is going on." It wasn't just a statement, it was a demand.

Robin watched as Dane's eyes perked up and he stood. "There it is."

Robin turned his head to follow the direction of Dane's eyes, thinking it was a ploy to get him sidetracked from the conversation. Not too far away there was a large glowing object; it was circular and a constantly shifting bright purple and green. "That's the portal?" Robin asked Dane, temporarily getting sidetracked as he became mesmerized by the beautiful sphere.

"Yes." Dane turned on his heel and began to exit the room, pausing on his way out. "We will talk—you and I. But for now be patient, I have to go pilot the ship." Robin watched him leave and sighed, returning his attention back to the glowing vertex. He didn't like not being in charge. He didn't like it at all.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"How do you like her?" Dane asked as he walked into the cockpit of his ship.

Cyborg turned around, a huge smile plastered on his face and love in his eyes. "This is by far the most advanced piece of technological equipment I have ever seen. How did you get such good range of motion? Aren't you powered by jets?"

Dane walked over to the control systems and sat down. He liked Cyborg and viewed him as a man who had overcome weakness and turned it into strength. Dane knew that once he took Cyborg to Azarath, Cyborg would become in love with much more than just this ship. "We have jets strategically placed all over the hulls exterior. Each of these jets can change their output rate at any time. It gives me a better range of motion and allows for me to turn in practically any direction I want—that includes going backwards."

"How do you get enough energy to power all the jets? I didn't see any fuel tanks on the ship."

"You won't find any." Dane replied as he glanced in Cyborg's direction. "This ship is run by a sustainable fusion core that takes about forty years to degenerate into nothing. If I had to describe it to you, I would say it is similar to how your sun works. It will keep producing energy for an extended amount of time and then one day it will burn out, but before that it will have to be replaced."

"Awesome!" Cyborg's eyes were shining as he watched Dane manipulate the ship's controls to aim it at the bright sphere ahead of them.

"Indeed." Dane said, smiling wistfully, knowing his 'awesome' status with Cyborg would soon dissipate. "Awesome." Without another word, he shifted thrusters to full capacity, sending them hurtling towards the glowing sphere. "Hey Cyborg."

"Yeah?"

"I suggest you hold onto something."

"Why?" His question was quickly answered as they collided with the sphere of light and Cyborg was flung against the wall. Immediately he grabbed hold of the nearest handhold as the world around him spun.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Hey Star! Get into it will ya?" Beastboy said as the words 'WINNER' flashed across his screen for the twenty-third time in a row.

"I am sorry Beastboy. I am worried for our friend. She did not seem normal earlier today."

Beastboy let a laugh burst forth from his lips. "Raven? Normal?" Beastboy laughed some more. "Since when is Raven ever normal? She is just acting like her usual, anti-social self."

"She is not…" Starfire paused as she processed the word, "…anti-social. I worry for her, she has not exited her room once."

"Aaah, don't worry about it, Starfire. You are just looking too deeply into things. Raven's just being her normal self alright? Now get back to playing and at least try to beat me!"

Starfire looked away, clearly worried yet unsure of what to do. Beastboy forced a remote into her hands and she sighed as she gave in. "I suppose I may be looking too much. I shall not beat you schmoglorph!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Immediately, Beastboy began the game and did not even notice as the ship began to pick up speed. However his ignorance did not last long.

Starfire and Beastboy both stopped their videogame as it was sent hurdling across the room, slamming into the wall with a resounding "crack."

"Oh no! My game!" Beastboy moaned as he clung desperately onto the couch and the world began to spin.

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Robin clung to the table in his room, which was firmly rooted to the floor of the ship. Now he knew exactly why there were very few things on the ship and almost everything was bolted down. "Thanks for the warning, Dane," Robin muttered under his breath.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Raven woke with a start. She had been dreaming of nothing again as was usual. She sighed and got out of her bed, taking her long hair and unwrapping it from the braid she had put it into last night. For a moment she was at peace and she almost felt good. That was until she looked out the window.

Before her were desolate mountains, each forlorn and barren, completely unlike the mountains on Earth. There were sparse patches of trees, but they were young and had still not reached maturity. Once this place had been a field of ancient trees that housed life of various different forms, yet now she saw nothing but empty fields and lifeless plains. After so many years, life still had not returned to normal.

Her face blanched, her heart clenched, and she felt as if she had just been kicked in the gut by a mule. _Welcome home. _Rage snickered. Raven cringed and pulled her hood over her head. She had a long day ahead of her.

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**Author's Note: **I am truly sorry it has taken me so long to update this story! I know that this chapter is short, but I will soon be coming out with another after I have finished editing it. Please read and review! Thank you all for your patience!


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